Princess Diana's 50th Birthday

The Little Princess

When Diana Frances Spencer was born on July 1, 1961, she was an immediate disappointment. Her parents, John and Frances Spencer, the Viscount and Viscountess of Althorp, had been hoping that after two daughters, they would finally produce a male heir. The Spencer family had long been one of the most influential in England—tracing its association with the royal family back to the 1600s—and some of her early playmates included the queen’s sons, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.

Read Tina Brown's cover story in this week's Newsweek about what Princess' Diana's life would look like if not for that tragic night.